MUSIC

TWIABP just released a new track, “Body Without Organs.” This is one of my favorite songs the released by the band this year, and I hope their next album further experiments with this style of music. Also, the album artwork (created byDylan Balliett) is incredible!

Although the song did not make “Harmlessness,” TWIABP’s most recent album, you can purchase the single through theirbandcamp(it’s pay-what-you-want and all proceeds are donated to the ACLU).

This single was released in anticipation of Donald Glover’s upcoming album Awaken, My Love! set to be released in early December. The six-minute song begins with playful light tunes reminiscent of experimental Kendrick. This progresses into rhythmic gospel-type lyrics similar to Chance the Rapper’s recent gospel influences, which seem to be trickling down to multiple of his rap counterparts. These two parts are followed by Childish’s very strong, still gospel lyrics, which mellow down into some traditional instrumentals with guitar, tambourine and drums. This is a long, multi faceted and interesting track. Between the title of the album and this single, I would expect more gospel influences within the album, regardless it should be great.

Redbone

The second single released in anticipation of Childish’s December 2nd album release, is quite funky, if I could describe it in just one word. Similarly, to “Me and your Mama” this track is longer than your average song, and makes a drastic shift musically about two thirds of the way through. “Redbone” has a slower, more mellow vibe, with some crazy auto tune. The cover art is the same for the two singles, with a black woman, with a septum piercing, eyes rolled back, and extremely shiny skin. Her face is framed by glowing geometric lines, reminiscent of a tribal headdress.

After a two-year hiatus, the progressive pop/pop-rock duo The Veronicas are back with two new music videos. Comprised of Australian twin sisters Jessica and Lisa Origliasso, the duo’s last release was in 2014 with their self-titled album. In short, they were long overdue for some content.

The music video for their single “In My Blood” was released shortly after the song this past summer. Based on the teaser for the video, I knew it was going to be very different from their earlier work. I didn’t like “In My Blood” the first time I listened to it, but the video helped ease me into their new sound. The video is red, overdramatic, and compliments the song perfectly.

The second video, “On Your Side,” was released this past week. Written by, directed by, and starring Jess’s girlfriend Ruby Rose, Jess and Rose play a couple struggling with addiction. Contrasted with “In My Blood,” “On Your Side” is much more serious with a definitive plot. I loved Rose’s involvement in the video, and I think it’s important to see videos like this break the heteroromantic norm.

G and Marc E. Bassy seem to be working very well together, hence multiple features and this new music video. I actually saw Marc along the edge of the crowd at Xfinity while running back and forth with the advertising staff. I did a double take because he was wearing a leather jacket in the middle of summer, he seemed just as confused by my accusatory look.

​This video is extremely indicative of the addictive subject matter of the song, almost to a fault. The video is entirely intimate and explicit scenes. With the exception of a classic car, a Rihanna-esque bathtub scene, and one shot of G looking quote pouty. I am a big fan of the song, but not so much the video, perhaps I just have higher aesthetic and theatrical expectations for G. However, I can appreciate the collaboration and black and white aesthetic.

I truly have no idea what is going on in this video as far as quality, angles, filters, and zooming. It's bizarre. It looks like it was filmed by a toddler on a Motorola Razr. The video quality is extremely grainy, probably worse than the 114p option on YouTube. Other than the logistics of filming, the video has all other bases covered with fur coats, chains, diamonds, expensive cars, and girls. There are also scenes in a hot tub grotto type location, with rumors of Hugh leaving the Mansion they’re renting out the grotto! I hope that Drake just approached this video as a satire to force the attention back on the music for once. If this is the case his master plan is working because the song is growing on me since I initially reviewed it.

On October 17th 2016 Brand New graced Connecticut with their presence. Amid murmurs (and half-confirmations) of an impending breakup, or a new album, or a new album and then a breakup, they announced a massive tour spanning nine months and the Atlantic ocean. Fans across the U.K. and the United States promptly shit themselves and held their breath from announcement to presales. Brand New drafted The Front Bottoms and Modern Baseball for the U.S. leg, packed up their mom's minivan, and set out on the open road.

I got to the venue, met my press contact, and was herded with a group of other photographers through the mazelike Oakdale Theater to the photo pit. I spent a few minutes acquainting myself with the landscape and firing off some test shots before the stagehands finished their work, and then segued into my first experience seeing Modern Baseball. Their fans are numerous. Their t-shirts? Everywhere. I hadn't listened to any considerable amount of Mobo before, but at least I had enough background knowledge of their music to sing along to "Your Graduation" (a music video worth watching). After what felt like a very short set they made way for The Front Bottoms.

I'll tell you what: TFB took a long while to grow on me. I immersed myself in their Bar/None sophomore record Talon of the Hawk to no avail, and I had given up until I saw them play Toad's Place in October 2015. They performed an exhaustive collection of material, drank half the bar, and topped the whole mess off with a three song encore. I walked out of that show dehydrated and with wobbly legs, but I was a happy camper anyway. I finally liked The Front Bottoms. I'm not sure what did it, but something changed that night and this time around I was downright excited to see them. They didn't disappoint, except their set felt just as short as Mobo's.

It didn't take long to figure out why. Brand New got onstage, played nine or ten songs plucked from random spots in their discography, and then tore into their breakthrough success The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me. The whole thing. The album is a polarizing one both sonically and thematically, building enormous tension through haunting but gentle movements that seem to either pass by too quickly or go on forever, then releasing it all at once in a cathartic wave. On it, Jesse Lacey (the man responsible for much of Brand New's lyrical content), skews back and forth between restrained, emotionally nuanced delivery and tidal-wave screams. He and the rest of the band delivered an incredible, impressive live performance, with a light show as intricate, wonderful and moody as their music. The sound tech was burning sticks of incense at a mixing booth lit by the glow of a salt lamp, adding to the atmosphere. To my disappointment, the venue cut the band off at curfew with a song left to go. They thanked the audience and walked offstage, "BRAND NEW, 2000 - 2018" projected on the screens behind them.

​Brand New's tour - probably not their last, but possibly their best - runs from the time of this writing to July 2017. Buy some tickets before the scalpers snatch them up. Show up early. Get in the pit. Stay there even if you have to pee. You will not regret it.

Taylor Momsen, of The Pretty Reckless has a great bio in the new Nylon issue. The feature promos her new album. The album, 'Who You Selling For' is out now, and Momsen suggests paying attention to the track order. She tells Nylon that when played front to back, the album will tell a continuous story. Stream the album below via Spotify

The entirety of this newly released video is Mac wriggling around with his traditional floppy dance moves on a sandbar. The location is either unbelievably beautiful, or a green screen. It is very difficult to tell if this is an actual location and the video quality is outstanding, or it is simply a fabricated background.

​Regardless, this song is great and Mac is his silly self dancing around. Between Arianna, and his revived playful style, Malcolm seems to be in a good place, it just warms middle school me’s heart (and present me too!).

Saba just released a new album, titled 'Bucket List Project.' My favorite new track is 'Church / Liquor Store,' which features Noname Gypsy, a fersonal Chicago favorite, and the track takes on gentrification and, according to The Fader, 'the danger and humanity contained within their city's neighborhood.' Stream below via Spotify.